The present disclosure relates generally to information handling systems, and more particularly to Fibre Channel networking information handling system that is configured to operate in a hybrid gateway/standalone mode.
As the value and use of information continues to increase, individuals and businesses seek additional ways to process and store information. One option available to users is information handling systems. An information handling system generally processes, compiles, stores, and/or communicates information or data for business, personal, or other purposes thereby allowing users to take advantage of the value of the information. Because technology and information handling needs and requirements vary between different users or applications, information handling systems may also vary regarding what information is handled, how the information is handled, how much information is processed, stored, or communicated, and how quickly and efficiently the information may be processed, stored, or communicated. The variations in information handling systems allow for information handling systems to be general or configured for a specific user or specific use such as financial transaction processing, airline reservations, enterprise data storage, or global communications. In addition, information handling systems may include a variety of hardware and software components that may be configured to process, store, and communicate information and may include one or more computer systems, data storage systems, and networking systems.
Some information handling systems are configured to utilize Fibre Channel (FC) networking technology that provides high speed connections between devices using FC networking devices such as FC switches. For example, enterprise storage systems typically utilize FC networking technology in Storage Area Networks (SANs). Conventional FC switches may be configured in a variety of modes depending on the details of the SAN, and the configuration of those modes to allow the SAN to operate properly can raise a number of issues. For example, some SANs involve an FC switch that provides communications between local server devices and local storage devices while not being connected to or providing communications with an FC fabric that includes other FC switches, and those SANs require the configuration of that FC switch in a “standalone” or “direct attach” mode to configure that FC switch to route communications between the local server device and local storage devices. In another example, some SANs involve an FC switch that provides communications between local server devices and local storage devices and an FC fabric that includes other FC switches coupled to remote server devices and remote storage devices, and those SANs require the configuration of that FC switch in a “gateway” mode to configure that FC switch to route communications between the local server device, local storage devices, remote server devices, and remote storage devices. The configuration of FC switches for the different SANs discussed above is a manual process that must be performed by a network administrator or other user when a SAN is initially set up and when the state of connectivity of the FC switch to an FC fabric changes (e.g., when the FC switch is connected to or disconnected from the FC fabric). This manual configuration additionally requires a reboot of the FC switch, which stops traffic to its local server devices and local storage devices during the reboot process.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide an improved FC networking device.